dirtyman2005 said:

I liked her when she first came out.Her first two singles ("Just One Of Those Things" and "Before You Walked Out Of My Life") were decent songs.I even liked the duet with Brandy.But since then,she's been releasing the same boring,midtempo,smoothed-out,hip-hop sounding garbage that everyone else is doing right now.She's got a great voice but chooses to waste it on uninspired bullshit.

I hate this happen to a young talent like monica but i have to
agree with most on this board. After her first 2 cd's, the rest of her
music has just been garbage. She is trying to fool the public and be
something she is not. Hopefully brandy will learn from this.
The hood chick thing just don't work monica.

phunkdaddy said:

The thing is, she probaby really IS hood but when she first came out they marketed her as 'innocent girl', the same thing they did to Whitney and we all know how TRULY ghetto she is.

ABeautifulOne said:

Fantasia's already there. I saw the video for "Hood Boy" - sad.

they dropped brandy from her label too after full moon and afrodisiac flopped. What a shame cause those albums are some of brandy's work, but then again I like all her albums. Monica's first two albums were excellent, I was rocking to Miss Thang the other day, but she just wasn't cutting it this time although the new album has several decent(but not great) songs. But someone like her who's been in the business for 10 years should be treated with respect. I guess the same thing that happened to jody watley, karyn white and other artists who stopped selling after 2 hit albums is repeating itself again. Soon mya and ashanti will be dropped, just wait and see. I hope someday women run music labels and give all females respect for their talents and allow them the creative freedom to do whatever they want

jaimestarr79 said:

You ain't never lied JS79!! She looks like one of those Hood-Rat chicks from those Dirty South Crunk videos.

what's the problem with hood rat chicks?

DirtyChris said:

Are you serious? The term hoodrat is NOT a compliment.

lyecry said:

it's certainly not a compliment
but why judge her
for what she is?

people loved Mary J. for that
in the very beginning

CinisterCee said:

They are wearing it out on the shit hop stations in Houston most notably 97.9...

DirtyChris said:

True, people did love Mary for that in the begining. But what really attracts people to Mary is her sincerity and honesty. She has matured and doesn't promote ratty behavor. Mary herself during the whole "No More Drama" phase let go of all the fighting, holding on to bad men, ect. There is a difference between being ratty and being ghetto. Her ghetto behavior is embedded in her because of her upbringing. But she encourages girls to be more than a hoodrat. Acting like a hoodrat is not where it is at. You have to grow up sometime.

lyecry said:

maybe she needs more time than others
it's just a phase
I love her for catering to the "now"
[Edited 1/23/07 17:12pm]

This is such a shame. I was in high school when she first came out and all of my friends were amazed with her voice, considering she was like 14 years old then. I like a lot of her stuff from her first couple of CD's and I even brought "After The Storm" but truth be told, she's been trying to be this "Ride or Die Chick" for way too long and for me, I'm tired of this.

I guess I'm not surprised to see this happen, but it's a shame that someone with a lot of talent like Monica is in a situation like this. Hopefully, she'll come back doing something great.

Very sad-I've always liked her . The Makings of Me is actually a good CD.

DirtyChris said:

Mary J was nothing remotely close to a hoodrat. Not even in the same universe as a hoodrat. Mary J was an "around the way girl" = Hip-Hop/Street-smart/Sexy.

A Hoodrat is some ghetto ho that only lives for the hood and deals with the hood and all of the hood's spectacle and so-called glory.

CosmicTalk said:

You know, there's a fine line there

Janfriend said:

Yeah, but Mary is/was no rat. I KNOW rats !

CosmicTalk said:

are we talking about the
same Mary J. Blige?

DirtyChris said:

thats what im saying. Monica is ghetto always has been. If you liked Mary J. Blige for her street qualities then monica is no different

i wonder when these artists are gonna say forget record labels all together and sell their music online.promote their music on the internet, put their videos on youtube and sell their cd's online.

lowkey said:

if their smart and have business savvy sooner than later.

lowkey said:

If that happens, it will make things worse for the up-and-comers. They'll get even shittier deals

Duggs said:

Let's just say that Blige and Monica are round the way girls then for the sake of aruguement. (Although Monica...)

Yes...
Round the Way /ghetto girl A girl who knows how to carry herself, won't take any bullshit, will fight only when she has to, but not over some stupid shit.

Hoodrat ( As Cosmic Talk eloquently put)


I know some hoodrats.I have some cousins that are hoodrats. And that shit ain't pretty when they get old. When they realize they can't pop it like they used to that's when they realize that they should have furthered themselves beyond the hood.

DirtyChris said:

Give me an example of Mary being a "hoodrat".

CosmicTalk said:

Dirty chris what is your defintion of hoodrat? And what is your definition of a round the way girl?

[Edited 1/24/07 2:25am]
[Edited 1/24/07 2:31am]

uPtoWnNY said:

That's a whack album cover I remember how pretty she was in the video with Brandy.What the hell happened?

All this talk about hoodrats is making me want to check it out!

phunkdaddy said:

agreed

CosmicTalk said:

the whole overdoing the drugs/booze thing
not knowing how to do a decent interview
(without being offensive)
promiscuity (sp)/clowning @ public affairs
I have mad MJB footage on VHS to prove my case
just wish I could upload
thank GOD she grew out of that

"around the way" is more of a style/attitude
an "ATWG" is a girl you know
from "around your way"
who prefers hangin with the dudes
over catty ass females
but she still fly, she likes to
rock her hoop/bamboo/door knocker earrings
with her name in the middle
and will throw on the Timb's too

I guess the only similarity is that
they both will fight in a heartbeat

this is only my definition
may be something completly different to you

Megan Goode is now trying to be "ATW"
but we know she's goody two shoes